UCLA fraternity sets up heartfelt message for baby waiting for transplant
By KCAL/KCBS Staff
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WESTWOOD, California (KCAL) — While Megen Jay continues to sit by her baby’s side during his battle for life, her resolve is strengthened knowing that an entire fraternity is there to support her and her family.
Dane, Jay’s baby son was diagnosed at birth with cardiospondylocarpofacial syndrome, a rare genetic condition.
“We’ve seen every specialist from neurology to urology, to endocrinology,” said Jay.
While Jay, her husband Chris and their daughters Harper and Everly knew Dane would face many health battles in his young life things took a turn for the worse when doctors informed the family that the baby’s heart was failing.
“I looked at him, the doctor sat down in front of me and I was like ‘I think you’re going say something really hard so I called my husband,” Jay said. “I put him on speaker and he said your son is in heart failure. It was one of the hardest things I’ve heard.
But in what may be the hardest moments of their lives, the members of UCLA’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity decided to show their support for the Jay family. In full view of the third-floor hospital room, the young men laid out Christmas lights on their fraternity’s house in the shape of a heart with Dane’s name underneath.
“He’s so little but so brave, I think it’s a really unique opportunity where we’re in college and it’s fast-paced and busy,” said SAE member Ronan MacRunnels. “But… it hits you and you recognize what’s important in life and it puts things in perspective.”
The young men at SAE have helped young patients in the past but in this case, they have gone above and beyond, not only waving at Jay when they see her, but also visiting the family and leaving gifts for the family.
“I want to first off applaud and pat on the back each and every one of these boys’ parents because I hope my son would do something like this to bless another family,” she said. “They do not need to be worrying about that and they have just literally put their arms around my family and just shown us so much love.”
The Jays learned a few days ago that Dane has made it onto the transplant list giving them hope that their baby will get better.
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